Apparently I'm Thoughtful

Marko tagged me as a thoughtful blog. It's very kind of him so I'll play along.

the church and post modern culture: conversation

Tony Jones

Glen Soderholm

Malcolm Gladwell

Marko (is that cheating? I like him and he makes me think so I don't really care if it is cheating)

This exercise is really an exercise of social networking. I traced the path back a little bit:
ysmarko.com
http://fess2.blogspot.com/2007/04/thinking-blog-award.html
http://dotherightthing.townhall.com/g/6a386c3c-6015-45e5-8302-dca3daf0531b
http://takeourcountryback.townhall.com/
http://missbethsvictorydance.blogspot.com/

I can't seem to get back farther than that. I wonder what "Snooper" and "Miss Beth" would think of a Canadian (we are suspiciously socialist) tagging someone like Tony Jones or Malcolm Gladwell, both of whom are clearly part of the problem with America.

I need to add the following:

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote

Good Friday

Years ago when I was part of a ministry that did a Good Friday service every year, we struggled because we didn't know exactly how to present it. Many of our kids weren't part of a congregation so might no hear the Resurrection if we didn't present it on Good Friday. On the other hand, we didn't want to downplay the stark reality of Life submitting to death.

That tension of understanding why Jesus had to die in order for life to spring forth has been one of my core questions since then. At seminary, I encountered Don Juel who challenged me to think through that question. As a Good Friday meditation I reread his "A Disquieting Silence" which you can find in The Ending of Mark and the Ends of God. His thoughts are too complex to post here but they revolve around Mark 16:1-8. Jesus has promised resurrection, and is not there when the women arrive but the women leave in terror. God is on the loose, the door is open to the working of this terrible God who can even defeat death.

"Jesus has promised an end. That end is not yet, but the story gives good reasons to remain hopeful even in the face of disappointment. The possibilities of eventual enlightenment for the reader remain in the hands of the divine actor who will not be shut in-or out."

As we approach the open tomb and place our terror into the hands of the God who has gone on ahead of us, consider:

These are the words of the holy one, the true one,
who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut,
who shuts and no one opens: . . .
Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.
Rev. 3:7-8

Bitter Boys Playlist #1

We Got The Beat - The Go-Go's (81)
Who Can It Be Now - Men At Work (84)
Nobody's Diary - Yaz (83)
Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon (80)
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears (85)
Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood (84)
Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil (86)
Something So Strong - Crowded House (86)
Puppets - Depeche Mode (81)
Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran (82)
I'm an Adult Now - The Pursuit of Happiness (88)
Mirror in the Bathroom - English Beat (80)
What I Like About You - The Romantics (80)
Don't Go - Yaz (82) [sadly I can't find this track in the collection at the moment; will acquire it]
How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths (84)
Boys of Summer - Don Henley (84)
Life's What You Make It - Talk Talk (80)
Pride (In the name of love) - U2 (84)
Middle of the Road - Pretenders (82)
Small Town Boy - Bronski Beat (84)
True - Spandau Ballet (83)
Rock Me Amadeus - Falco (84)
Miame Vice Theme - Jan Hammer (85)

Vinyl is Digital

Thanks to Shane M., one of the guys in St. Andrew's Youth Group, I have discovered Audacity. I have begun the process of converting 80's vinyl into MP3's. The journey is long, but oh, so sweet.

Shut Down Day Results

I did it, mostly. Vivian turned on the desktop computer this morning but I didn't go in the room nor did she play music on it. I also passed by a Phil's computer later in the day. No touching or using so I think that I qualify as succeeding.

Biggest impressions. Vivian was happy that I seemed more available. I missed some of my music. I finished a book that I would have posted some thoughts on immediately. It was a lot easier because it was a Saturday. Something that I should work into my Sabbath routine.

Shut Down Day

CBC had an interesting piece yesterday on a couple of guys trying to get people to turn off their PC's for a day. Shut Down Day, a sort of technological Sabbath, fits in with turn off your TV day etc. but has the additional irony of getting promoted on the medium that it wants to shut down. I'd be interested in seeing what the web page looks like on Saturday. As for me, I won't be checking from my computers. I'll take a break and hang out with my friends the Irishs.

Blair is back

Over the past couple of months I've taken a bit of a hiatus from blogging myself as my class at Tyndale took over.

They are done their blogging assingment now and I'm back to contributing myself.